Manufacture of nuts and other screw-threaded members



. June 27, 1944. v J. Y`oUH|LL 2,352,505

MANUFACTURE OF NUTS AND OTHER SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS I Fiied Ju1yj21,.1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 27, 1944. q. YOUHIL. 2,352,505

MANUFACTUREOF NUT S AND OTHER SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS 2 sheets-sheet 2 FildJuly 21, 1942- Nw Y. TQ

D W/IW/ Nrw Patented June 27, 1944 L UNITED STATE-gs l' Parietti* ,orsi-.CE

MANUFACTURE ori* NUTsANn-OTHER SCREW-THREAD@ Mamans Joseph YouhilLf-S-taines, England, -asssig-norry to D. -Napiert 'SonLimitedLLondon',v England, a

company `oi Great :Britain Application ,'Juiyzi, 1942', sentirlo'. 451,738YK vIn Great Britain August 20, 1941l 8v4 claims. for.l 49051-55 This `invention relates Vtothe manufacture 'of 7?' screwthreaded members and has for its object to effect a nishing-oi of the end portion or portions of the thread.

As usually made the end portion of the thread on or in a screwthreaded member tapers down t0 a ne end which is 'liable to -be distorted vor to partly break away and form a ragged and projecting piece. In veither vcase this distorted part tends to interfere with the application `andscrew- 10 ing up of the member in the place where it is to go or the screwing together of two members. The object ofthis invention is lto obviate this disadvantage by a definite finishing-oir of the thread. L5

According to this invention the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded lmember is removed'by'a milling process which leaves the thread'end of substantial width. In the Aprocess by which this is done the piece to be treated is 2Q engaged by its screwt-hread withy and vthus held by an adapter or support, a rotating `milling cutter is then brought against the thread ata point adjacent to its extreme end and the piece -to be treated is then rotated relatively to its support causing the end portion of the thread to 'be re'- moved by the cutter thus leaving thethread with yan end having a substantial 'width When screwedi into engagement with` the support the piece to be treated is held with the -end part'of its 30 thread located with respect to the milling cutter the place at which this is to operate'on'the thread tance to which the piece can beA screwed 'into engagement with the support, the piece being then rotated aboutan axis parallel to that of the cutter spindle. this process comprises in combination'anadapter The apparatus for carrying out 'orfsupport with which the piece :togbetreated 4is engaged Aby its screwthread up to a determined 40 point -whereby .the `end part `of the thread is ldeiinitely located, a rotating. spindle whose `axis is y .parallel to .the axis `of the piece .to .be treated yas a milling cutter which lies adjacent to the work port with the cutter initially ciear kof .the thread, and means for moving the rotatingspindle in a :the cutter against the end ,par-t `of the thread mences at the determined point and-continues for the required distance as the Ipiece to be treat- ,ed is turned `back with respect to its support.

Ille holder or support y.for the. work piece` is -tion of the thread which Iona certain distance..`

screwthreaded engagement wlhereby the length of the .cut i-n the circumferential Idi-rection Vcan The rotating spindle on 4one end o-f which is `the millingcut-ter is mountedPi-n bearings fin a rotatable `carrier member, lbut with the vaxis, lof the spindle eccentric with respect to the :axis about which Ithe carrier member `itself -can be rotated. The support vwith which theLpiece to be vtreated is engaged by its Vscrew-thread holds it with its v axis parallel to that of the cutter spindle with 'the ycutter lying vadjacent tov but clear of fthe thread. By suitable means, for example a lpro- `jecting lever -or handle, the carrier member is rotated thereby moving the cutter spindle so' as bring the' cutter against the end part kof 'the thread. The work piece isthen 'turned -back in or-on its support so as to cause the `desired cut to be completed.

The cut thus -takenrremoves all that end porwas liable to :be :distorted `or partly brok-en :away and leaves the hread with its `end at a placewhere it has vsuc'h a Asubstantial VWidth .Jas vmaybe or may approximate to its full width.

The process maybe employedjwith screw- Vthreaded members or .parts whether the thread :is .within or .on the exterior of such part and whether the thread runs throughout the whole .length of the part .orotherwise Thus for example in the case of nuts, or other internally screwthreaded pieces, ,the end :of the thread may be treated in accordance withl this. invention whether the thread is carried right through. fthe piece -or whether it vextends within the piece .only

rAn instance of the latter is to be found .in a nut `or like piece =of the cap type; that is, a part whicheither `for-ms a complete cap or A:which has .a ycentral hole .surrounded by a-n annular ilange lat the "blind end, the piece Vbeing internally threaded .up to a point near the flange or closed end. In ,suchpa piece the inner end of the .thread Awill ordinarily end with a fine part at the .annular recess which .it is usualfto .form at that.l end lof the thread and j On the one end of the plate F which in turn'carries anV adapter G constituting a support yfor 'guides on the-plate F to an opening in the end plateF next to the closed end or flange. By the present process this inner end of the thread can be finished oi in the same way as the outer end of the thread.

It will be understood that a separate adapter or holder for .the -work piece is provided in accordance Withthe-size and form of the part to ibe treated and the holder is shaped so as to permit of the cutter being brought against the thread in the place and in the manner desirable.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but the accompanying drawings show by way of example two constructions of apparatusthat may be used for for the treatment respectively oi a part which is internally screwthreaded and one which has an external thread. In these drawings`,

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus for o removing the end portions of the thread -of an internallythreaded member oi the cap nut type. .'FigureZis an end view of this apparatus.

Figure?)v is a sectional elevation the section being taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2. p

. Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic end view on an enlarged scale showing the end portion of an internal screwthread and indicating the part removed by the cutter.

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic sections respectively on the -lines 5-5 and B-B in Figure 4 and showing the appearance of the thread at the place where the cut commences and at a point where it has been partly removed.

Figure 7 .is apart-sectional side elevation of an apparatus as arranged for removing the end portion of the thread on an externally screwthreaded pice.

Referring to Figures V1, 2 and 3, the work piece isv indicated as a4 member of the cap nut type having a cylindrical part A with an inwardly directedannular flange A1 at one end, the cylindricalpart being internally screwthreaded at A2 from its outer end to a vpoint short of the flange A1, there being an annular recess Abetween the inner end of the thread and the inner face o `the flange. f Y

In the-upper ,part of a framing B of suitable form and dimensions there is rotatably mounted a carrier C from whiclrprojects through an opening in the framing, a handle Cl by means of which the carrier can be rotated through an angle. which is determined by vadjustable, stops yD between which the handle can swing. In bearings C? withinthe carrier -C lies a spindleylil on one end of which is a cutter El andl on the other a Vpulley wheel E2 .through Vwhich the cutter spindle ,can be rotated. Ihe axis of this spindle Eis eccentric with respect to the axis about which theY carrier-.C can be turned so that as the carrier is turned by means of rits leverhandle C1 the cutter E1 will be movedin a direction transverse to the axis of the cutter spindle E whereby the cutter can be brought up to make the desired cut.y Y

the piece A A1 to be treated. This adapter can slide for example in which it is attached by studs F1 so that the position of the adapter can be adjusted relatively and in a direction transj verse to the cutterEl.

vThis` permits the depth of 'the cut taken to be determined. Theend of so that when the the purposeand framing Bl is mounted a .l `is screwthreaded vas at Gr1 -piece A, A1

- v the'spindle E with the cutter El projects through n .ther into the cap nut.

and no more. Without such alimiting ture of the part which is to be held by it for treatment. The peripheral part of the adapter to engage the work which can be screwed on to the adapter'until the end face of the work piece cornes in contact with the surface of the face yplate F. `The work piece will then be located with respect to the cutter E1 with the end portion of -the thread which is to be removed in a position whereit can be acted on by thecutter when swung into its operative position by rotation of the carrier C. A suitable hollow Gr2 formed in the adapter leaves clearance kfor the cutter El.

When the cutter has been brought into action the work piece is turned back on the adapter by hand or otherwise and as it is turned the cutter removes the end part of the thread. This process is shown clearly in Figure 4 where is seen the end of an internally screwthreaded work piece A5. The main part A6 of the thread appears with the cutterhl in the position into gwhich it has been swung to begin its cut. As it appears in section the mainY part A6 of the threadlis seen in Figure 6, and as partly removed by the cutter it is seen-in Figure 5 with a flat surface at A7. When the-full depth of cut has been-taken the at surface A'l is lowered and as the work piece is turned back on the adapter holder the end portion A8 of the thread will be taken ofi and a substantially cylindrical surface left with the actual end of the threadv of full width and sloping up to the full thread section.

Where this apparatus is to be used to finish off the inner end of the thread in a piece such a different cutter is Vused which will project furf' It is no w desirable to provide means which when the cutter is operating `will prevent turning the work piece kback onf-the adapter beyond such a limited distance asgris necessary to allow thecutter to takeoffv justf the requisite length of the end portion of the'thread stop there would be a risk of removing an undesirable-"length .of the thread, or even the whole .otitmightlibe takenoff. Such a stop device is showninFigures l and 2 and comprises two.oppositely"disposed lugs H H1 each of which is pivotallyfmount'ed so -that it can beswung separately and" outwards from the inwardly vdirected and Vinoperative posi'- tions in which these lugs are'shown iii`Fi'gi1re2, into the positions shown in chain lines' wherein the' lugs lie over the outer end face of thework piece ange A1. When inthisposition'the `lugs prevent the turning of the Work piece-backwards beyond a limited extent which'v can" beY determined by adjustment of the lugs.4 It is desirable to arrange that at least one of these lugs cannot as to allow of the ,able in the axial direction be swung clear of the work piece so as to allow it to be unscrewed oi the adapter until the-carrier C has been turned so `as 4to lower the lcutter andtake it clear of the thread. This'may be eiected in the following way. The one lug H1 is carried freely on its pivot H? about which it can be turned from one position into the other being supported by a iixedl stop pin J when in its operative position. The other lug H is xed on a spindle K which runs lthrough and is rotatable in lthe adapter G having on its "end behind the adapter an eccentric pin K1 Awhich passes through the one part of a link formed in two vparts L L1 adjustably connected by a-'bolt L2-passingthrough slots in the parts L L1 so `that the length "of the link can be altered. This `link -runs'to one arm M of a bell-crank'lever pivoted at M1 on the framing B. The other arm M201" this lever is connected to a pin N which' can slide in the framing the end of this pin being vadapted to enter a hole in the carrier C and thus lock the latter when it has been turned into the Aposition in which the cutter spindle has been lowered and the cutter cannot loperate -on the work piece. When the pin N has been withdrawnl and the carrier has been turned to render the cutter operative the end of the pin N lies against the side of the carrier and to withdraw it and bring it into that position the lug H must have been swung so as to lie over the face of the work piece and thus limit the distance to which it can be turned back on the adapter. The lug cannot be again swung clear of the work piece until the cutter y has been moved clear of the thread by rotation of the carrier. A xed ,stop J1' supports the lug H when it has been swung into its operative position.

As shown in l'iguresl and 3 the lugs H H1 are indicated in their inoperative positions since these iigures illustrate the apparatus as arranged for the removal of the outer end of the thread in the work piece A A1. 4The lugs H H1 are adjustonv the spindle K and the pivot H2 respectively.

If it is desired to remove the inner endof the "f thread from a cap nut such -as A A1, assuming that the adapter has been Changed or the cutter altered so as to bring it 'into the necessary place in the axial direction, the work piece is then screwed on to the adapter up to its limit posi- 1 tion. The lugs H H1 are then swung out so as lto lie over the outer end face of the cap nut when they will be as indicated in chain lines in vFigure 2 and be able to prevent unscrewing of the work piece from the Yadapter beyond the distance determined by the arrangement of the stop lugs H H1, that is the clearance inside them when the work piece has initially been screwed home on the adapter. The carrier C can now be turned so as to cause the cutter to act on the thread at its inner end and by turning back the work piece on the adapter up to the limit allowed by the stop lugs H H1 the desired length of thread will be taken off. The carrier is now turned so as to lower the cutter where it can no longer act on the thread and it then becomes possible to swing the lug H clear of the face of the cap nut since the pin N can now enter the hole in the carrier. The Work piece can now be taken oi the adapter which has held it during the operation.

Turning now to the modied construction of the apparatus as shown in Figure 7 and arranged for removing the end part of the thread on an externally threaded body, the adapter or support G3 for the work piece O is formed so that the 4lattervcanbescrewed rintothe support until its end abuts against the face plate F2 o'n which the `-ada-pteris adjustably mounted. Agap G4 in the Vinner part of lthe adapter leaves Aclearance for the cutter"-E1 -to act on the end portion of the thread which is located in this gap when the work piece is screwed home in the adapter. 'Ihe cutter spindle E is mounted as 'before in a carrier C which can be turned by means' offthe lever handle C1 when, owing to the eccentricity of the spindle in the carrier, the cutterwill be brought down on the work and the'v necessary cui; made. The workpiece is turned lback in the support G3 by some tool such as P of' which the end engages the outer end of the lWork-pierce which 'in the case shown is hollow. Here itis not necessary to' provide any stop to limit the turning back of the ,work inthe support since the cut starts at the furthest point in the thread Where itisvdesirablethat the thread should end and by ,turning back the Workthe cut is carried to the extreme end of the thread. .v v

' The Vadapter for an v.externally threaded piece may be interchangeably mounted on the framing through a face plate or otherwise in some convenient way as for instance as described labove in .connection with the support for an internally threaded piece. Also the vadapter is arranged so `that it may be ,adjusted in `a direction transverse to the cutter spindle so as to permit of. the depth of cut being varied and set as requisite.

What I claim as `my invention vand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.*Apparatus for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member comprising in combination a framing, van adapter mounted on the framing and constituting a support `forvthepiece `to be treated which is `held by and engagedwith thatv support `by its screwthread, a rotating spindle mounted lin the framing and carrying a milling cutter which lies adjacent to and initially clear lof piece to be treated when this with its support, the axis parallel to the axis of the it is held by the support, and means for moving the said rotating spindle in la ydirection normal to its axis and thus bringing the cutteragainst theend part of the thread.

2. A process for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member which comprises mounting .the screwthreaded member .or rotation-eccentrically with respect to a rotary milling cutter having the rotary axis thereof is in engagement of this spindle lying piece to be treated as parallel to the rotary axis of the :screwthreaded member, aligning the milling cutter adjacent to the extreme end of the thread of the screwthreaded member, and rotating the milling cutter and the screwthreaded member relative thereto to'cut away the end portion of the thread so that it is formed of a substantial width.

3. A process for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member which Vcomprises mounting the screwthreaded member for rotation eccentrically with respect to a r0- tary milling cutter having the rotary axis thereof parallel to the rotary axis of the screwthreaded member, aligning the milling cutter adjacent to the extreme end of the thread of the screwthreaded member. rapidly rotating the milling cutter and rocking the rotary milling cutter into a predetermined portion of the end screwthread of the screwthreaded member, and rotating the screwthreaded member relative to the milling the thread of the v cutter to-cut away the end portion of the thread so that itis formed of asubstantial Width. Y

`4. Apparatus for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member comprising in combination a framing, an adapter mounted on the framing and constituting a support for the piece to be treatedvvhich is held by and engaged with that support by its screwthread, said adapter having a gapor the like through which the cutting tool may be passed to act on the piece mounted on said'adapter, arotating spindle at one end of which is a milling cutter, the axis of this spindle lying `parallel to the axis of the piece to be treated as this is held by the support, a carrier rotatably mounted in vthe framing and having in it bearings in which' the said spindle rotates with its axis eccentric with respect to the axis about which'the carrier is rotatable, and means for rotating the carrier and thereby moving the rotating spindle in a direction normal to its axis and thus bringing the milling cutter from'a position in which it is initially clear of the thread of the piece to be treated through the said gap and into a :position in which the'cutter is operative on that thread.

5. Apparatus for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member comprising in combination a framing, an adapter mounted on the framing and constituting a support for the piece to be treated which is held by and engaged with that support by-its screwthread, said adapter having a gap or the like through which the cutting tool may be passed to act on the piece mounted on said adapter, a rotating spindle mounted in the framing, the axis of this spindle lying parallel `to the axis of the piece to be treated as this is held by the support, a milling cutter on the one end of the spindle where it lies adjacent to 'and initially clear of the thread of the piece to be treated when this is in engagement With its support,: means for moving the adapter support transversely with respect to the spindle and thereby determining the depth of the cut on the thread, and means for moving the rotating spindle in a direction normal to its axis and thus bringing the cutter through said gap in the adapter against the end part of the thread.

6. Apparatus for removing the end portion of the thread of a screwthreaded member as set out in claim l in which the adapter support is detachably mounted on the framing andi; adjustable in a direction transverse to the axis of the rotating spindle.

- 7. Apparatus for removing the end portion of `the thread of a screwthreaded member comprising in combination a framing, an adapter mounted on the framing and constitutingla support for the piece to be treated which is held by and engaged with that support by its screwthread, said adapter having a gap or the like through which the cutting tool may be passed to act on the piece mounted on said adapter, a rotating spindle mounted in the framing and carrying a milling cutter which lies adjacent 4to and initially clear of the thread of the piece to be treated Awhen this is in engagement with its support, the axis of this spindle lying parallel to the axis of the piece to be treated as it is held by the support,.means for moving the said rotating spindle in a direction normal to its axis and thus bringing the cutter through said gap in the adapter against the end part of the thread, means yfor rotating the piece to be treated relatively to the adapter support and while the piece is held thereby such rotation being in a direction tending to unscrew the piece and disengage it from the support, and means for limiting the extent of such backward unscrewing while the cutter continues to be operative on the thread.

8. Apparatus for removing the end portion-of the thread of a screwthreaded member comprising in combination a framing, an adapter mounted on the framing and constituting a support for the piece to be treated which is held by and engaged with that support by its screwthread, said adapter having a gap or the like through which the cutting tool may be passed to act on the piece mounted on said adapter, a

rotating spindle at one end of which is a milling cutter, the axis of this spindle lying parallel to the axis of the piece to b'e treated as this is held by the support, a carrier rotatably mounted in the framing and having its bearings in which the said spindle rotates with its axis eccentric with respect to the axis about which the carrier is rotatable, means for rotating the carrier and thereby moving the rotating spindle in a direction normal to itsaxis and thus bringing the milling cutter through said gap in the adapter from a positionin which it is initially clear of the thread of the piece to be treated into a position in which the cutter is operative on that thread, means for rotating the piece to be treated relatively to the adapter support and while the piece is held thereby such rotation being in a direction tending to unscrew the piece and disengage it from the support, and means for limiting the extent of such backward unscrewing while the cutter continues to be operative on the thread.

JOSEPH YOUHILL. 

